The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecotourism
Ecotourism promotes environmental awareness but may be exploited for gain too. Here are the main pros and cons of ecotourism.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecotourism
Ecotourism is highly praised for its advantages but has its shortcomings too. Although this form of tourism developed nearly 40 years ago, there’s still a controversy about its benefits and disadvantages. The intention of this sustainable tourism is to raise environmental awareness among travelers and increase the respect we all have to the planet.
Lake Kerkini is ranked as one of the most important areas in Europe for bird watching. It’s no wonder why a large number of eco-tourists visit the wetland year after year. But the question remains: is this form of tourism a good or bad thing to the local flora and fauna?
The advantages of ecotourism
There’s no doubt about the benefits of ecotourism. Thousands of people book a room at the Agnantio Hotel Spa year after year to get the chance to watch the birds at Lake Kerkini or visit the descent of Krusovitis in Sidirokastro. Ecotourism is good for business but also offers the opportunity to all those interested in the ecosystem to learn more and view firsthand some of this world’s marvels.
As ecotourism evolves, people’s awareness about the preservation of the environment grows. Also, the local cultural heritage is promoted, more get involved, and authorities spend more money to maintain these ecosystems. And these things are a good thing for both people’s education and the sake of the ecosystem.
The disadvantages of ecotourism
On the other hand, there’s a fear that the ecosystem will degrade if it’s regularly disrupted by tourists. And when profit is involved, there’s skepticism about the future of the ecosystem if the tourist organizations focus on marketing strategies alone without respect to the actual environment. On top of that, there’s a question about the wildlife getting distressed due to the human presence and whether or not this will affect their reproduction.
The good news is that the pros outnumber the cons and the more people get educated and environmentally conscious, the disadvantages that have to do with profit decrease. It has to do with our integrity but things look optimistic. After all, even those who are determined to gain from the ecosystem, they will lose if the ecosystem dies. Thankfully this is a minority.